


Worth His Time

by webeta123



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Eric speaks Russian, Gen, Kent is a dick, Only towards the end though, figure skating AU, implied eating disorder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-23
Updated: 2016-05-23
Packaged: 2018-06-10 05:54:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6942469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/webeta123/pseuds/webeta123
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The International Figure Skating Competition was something that Eric had been working towards for months. He was going to finish his practice before these two idiotic hockey players decided it was their turn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Worth His Time

He hadn’t even noticed them at first. It was the day before the International Figure Skating Competition and Eric needed all the practice he could get. HIs program music was blaring through the speakers and Katya was off on the side yelling at him. He was going to get these triple axels into his program if it killed him, even if it meant that he had been on the ice for over four hours now and his legs were burning and begging him to stop. “Разболтаны, разболтаны, разболтаны! Что это такое, любительский час? Я думала, ты сказал, что готов для этого уровня, Bittle.” Katya yelled, making Eric grit his teeth in frustration. It had taken years of practice for him to get to this level and now he was struggling with even the most basic of moves. But he hated to think that his moves were sloppy though and he refused to agree with her on that,

“Я готов, Катя, у меня просто проблемы с этим переходом.” He explained, finally turning his head to look at her. She huffed and shook her head, her stern face showing that if he didn’t straighten up soon, there would be a world of pain in his future. Eric watched as she restarted his music and he got back into position in the center with his head down and arms behind his back whenever he heard a voice that made him want to punch a wall.

“Excuse me?” He could practically taste the condescension in just the way he said those two words and Eric looked up through his hair to see two boys, almost his age by the looks of it, in full hockey gear and giving him a look that he thought he had left behind at his old school with his bullies. The one that said they thought he wasn’t manly enough to leave alone. Hockey players were the worst. “We need to practice.  Can princess move things over to one half at least?” Eric skated over, realizing that his practice was going to be interrupted by checks and hockey pucks.

“I booked whole rink until noon. My student not princess, be respectful, Говнюк.” Katya told one of them, the other still watching Eric as he made it to the boards and stepped out of the rink. It was slightly unnerving, but nothing he couldn’t handle.

“Katya, be respectful too.” Eric had to smirk though, even if he wanted to keep the peace. He had been called that more times than he was willing to admit, “Hey ya’ll, if Katya booked the rink until noon, you two need to skedaddle.” He flicked his fingers at them like he was brushing a bug off of his costume. The one who hadn’t spoken gave him a confused look, obviously trying to figure out how he went from speaking Russian to English so quickly. “By my watch, I’ve still got fifteen minutes.” He added, glancing at Katya’s watch.

“Kent, come on, there’s no reason to be mean.” So he did know how to speak and damn if that voice wasn’t nice to hear. If it weren’t for the fact that he was probably straight and probably as much of a dick as his friend, Eric might have liked to get to know him better. “We can watch him do his thing. Maybe we can incorporate it into a play or something.” Eric raised a delicate eyebrow as good-looking-hockey-player gave Kent a slightly pleading look. Kent gave good-looking-hockey-player a look that said how much he hated that idea before huffing and crossing his arms over his chest. Kent gave Eric a look that would have quelled a smaller man but he had been working with Katya for most of his ice skating career, he wasn’t scared of a hockey player.

“Fine. Let’s see what princess can teach us.” Kent drawled, throwing a possessive arm over good-looking-hockey-player’s shoulders and leading him towards the benches.

“Покажи этим говнюкам, на что ты способен, Bittle.” Katya told him lowly as she adjusted his program music.

“Да, учитель.” He said, glowering at Kent as he went back on the ice and got into position, staring down Kent for all he was worth even with his face being completely passive. He took in a deep breath as the song started, going through a few simple moves at first. He could see Kent laughing with good-looking-hockey-player, obviously trying to make fun of him. Eric focused on his skating, gritting his teeth together as the double axel came and went, perfect without a hitch. The music started to speed up and Eric felt his heart pounding faster, faster, as he got to the point of his triple axel. He was going to show those damned hockey players that figure skaters could do amazing things too and then that damned Kent would stop making fun of him for doing something that he loved and he wouldn’t have to put up with it and seeing his stupid face whenever he made it would make him feel so much better and he skated faster and threw his weight like he was taught and—

He stuck it. He finally hit that first triple axel after months and hours of practice, he stuck it. He went back to work, knowing that those hockey players wouldn’t know what that meant to him, even if he saw Katya giving him a proud smile from the boards. He continued his elements, shifting seamlessly into the footwork that Katya was infamous for. The music swelled within him as he finally allowed himself to smile, going through those more difficult steps. By the time he got to the end, he saw that his mother had come to get him, giving him an equally excited look. He finished with his spin, hitting his pose perfectly. His heartrate was still pounding and he wasn’t sure if he was breathing, but if he could do this tomorrow, he would be absolutely golden. He skated back to the rink, his lungs finally remembering how to work and giving him as much of the crisp air around him that they could take.

“Сделай это завтра и ничто не будет стоять на твоём пути.” Katya told him proudly. Eric sat heavily on the bench and started to unlace his boots, his mother telling him that she had come in towards the end and saw that he had finally gotten that fancy footwork down to a science.

“And I saw the best little bakery on the way here, isn’t it funny how these Canadians have sandwiches in their bakeries? We’ll have to stop in there once you’ve changed and put your costume where it needs to be.” His mother continued as Eric carefully wiped the ice and grime off his blades. He nodded and hummed at all the right moments, knowing that he was actually interested in seeing what pastries the Canadians had. “And I looked them up and apparently they have these little things called whippets, wouldn’t those be delightful after all the hard work you’ve been doing?”

“Yeah, Mama, sounds great.” Truth be told, Eric’s back was aching from all of the bending and shifting he had been putting it through, but he knew that he needed to eat since he hadn’t eaten anything since they had gotten here almost three days ago other than an apple and some water. It kept his figure slim and tight, something that he needed if he was going to be the best. His stomach had finally stopped growling, though there was a dull ache that he knew would only be satisfied with food that he didn’t necessarily want. Once he won the competition, he would allow himself something to eat, he told himself firmly. He glanced over his shoulder as two padded figures passed, the first pulling on his helmet and huffing as he stepped onto the ice, while the other, good-looking-hockey-player stopped next to him.

“That looked amazing. I’m sure that took a lot of work.” He told Eric, giving him a small smile. Eric wouldn’t deny that his heart had sped up just slightly at that gentle smile, but he also knew that he was only trying to compliment him because his friend was a dick. “Good luck with your competition tomorrow.”

“Thanks.” He said with a nod, pulling on his sneakers and sighing softly. He would be going right into an ice bath once he got back to the hotel since every part of him seemed to ache or burn in some degree. Good-looking-hockey-player stepped onto the ice and Eric got a very good view of what he could only describe as an ass sculpted from the gods. He shook his head as he pulled on his duffel bag, his body still aching and the bag feeling heavier than it once did.

Hockey players weren’t worth anyone’s time.

**Author's Note:**

> Translations from one of my reviewers that is so much better :D:  
> Разболтаны, разболтаны, разболтаны! Что это такое, *любительский час? Я *думала, ты сказал, что готов для этого уровня, Bittle = Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy! What is this, amateur hour? I thought you said you were ready for this level, Bittle!
> 
> *Я готов, Катя, у меня просто проблемы с этим переходом=I am ready, Katya, I’m just struggling with this transition
> 
> *Говнюк = you little shit
> 
> *Покажи этим говнюкам, на что ты способен, Bittle = Show that little shit what you can do, Bittle
> 
> *Да, учитель= Yes teacher
> 
> *Сделай это завтра и ничто не будет стоять на твоём пути. = Do that tomorrow and nothing will stand in your way


End file.
